Home loan interest rates now hitting 9% – time to switch?

By Evlin DuBose · · 2 min read
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Key facts

  • Seven lenders in Mozo's database now have standard variable rates (SVRs) higher than 9%.
  • Switching from a 9% to 6% home loan could save you hundreds a month. 
Home loan interest rates rise like a piggy bank on an arrow.

Home loan pain is reaching a fever pitch following the November RBA rate hike. Out of all the mortgage lenders that have increased their interest rates, Mozo has recorded 7 in our database whose standard variable rates (SVRs) are now over 9%. The rest mostly sit between 6% and 8%.

While this certainly isn’t historically the highest home loan interest rates have ever been – the eighties notoriously recorded interest rates over 12% – it’s still a new high for the post-pandemic housing recovery. 

It’s important to note that SVRs are not always the same as the variable rates offered to different types of customers. First home buyers or buyers with loan-to-value ratios (LVRs) under 80% may receive lower rates than the SVR. The SVR is just a baseline rate used by the lender to set their basic home loan offer.

That being said, the SVR can be a critical bellwether of which way the market swings, and customers who are on SVRs higher than 8% or 9% could easily get into trouble if they can’t stay on top of their monthly repayments.

For the same owner-occupied home loan with a $500,000 principal and 25 year term, refinancing from a 9% interest rate to something closer to the current average in Mozo’s database (6.80% p.a.) could save borrowers $726 per month in payments. Dropping to the lowest rate of 5.59% saves $1,099 monthly.

Interest Rate
Monthly Repayments
Total Interest
5.59% p.a.
$3,097
$429,211
6.00% p.a.
$3,222
$466,452
6.80% p.a.
$3,470
$541,108
7.00% p.a.
$3,534
$560,169
8.00% p.a.
$3,859
$657,724
9.00% p.a.
$4,196
$758,795

SVRs this high also have implications for the serviceability buffer test. When lenders assess home loan applications, they add 3% to the interest rate applied for to see if the borrower can still make repayments at that high bracket. If they can’t, their home loan application may be rejected. You might be able to afford an 8% or 9% home loan, but can you afford an 11% or 12% one?

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Can borrowers still save money on high interest rates?

Sitting idly on a rate that just climbs erodes the value of your home loan. While mortgages will always be a significant investment, it’s important that your loan still gives you the interest-saving features, knowledge, and benefits that serve your property goals – not just squeezes your wallet. 

Knowledge is power, however. Plenty of home loans still fall under 6% – the lowest variable interest rate in Mozo’s database at the time of writing is 5.59% p.a. For those staving off mortgage stress, comparing home loans remains the best tool in a borrower's money-saving kit. 

Stay on top of RBA rate changes with the Mozo RBA tracker. For more home loan statistics, head to our hub. Compare low rate home loans in the table below.

Home loan comparisons on Mozo

Mozo may receive payment if you click the products below. We don’t compare the entire market, but you can search our database of 472 home loans.
Last updated 2 July 2024 Important disclosures and comparison rate warning*

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  • Basic Home Loan

    • Owner Occupier
    • LVR<60%
    • Principal & Interest
    Interest rate
    6.14 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.16 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,043
    Go to site

    Enjoy a low rate home loan with $0 application fee and $0 ongoing fees. Flexibility to split your loan and set different repayment types. Fee free redraw from your loan using online banking. Flexible ways to repay. 40% Deposit required.

  • Unloan Variable

    • Owner Occupier
    • LVR <80%
    Interest rate
    5.99 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    5.90 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $2,995
    Go to site

    Built by CommBank, the Unloan is the first home loan with an increasing discount (conditions apply) for borrowers. No application or banking fees. No monthly account keeping or early exit fees. Apply online in minutes.

  • Offset Home Loan

    • Owner Occupier
    • LVR<60%
    • Principal & Interest
    Interest rate
    6.14 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.39 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,043
    Go to site

    Ability to open up to 10 offset accounts per loan account. Fast online application. Linked Debit Mastercard® with fee-free access at ATMs across Australia. Package a credit card with your home loan and the annual card fee will be waived (T&Cs apply). 40% deposit required.

  • Special Real Deal Home Loan

    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    • LVR <80%
    Interest rate
    6.19 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.23 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,059
    Go to site

    No application or service fees. Flexibility to choose your repayment schedule (weekly, fortnightly or monthly). Use multiple Everyday Accounts with 100% interest offset to pay your home loan off sooner.

  • Unloan Variable

    • Owner Occupier
    • LVR <80%
    Interest rate
    5.99 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    5.90 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $2,995
    Go to site

    Built by CommBank, the Unloan is the first home loan with an increasing discount (conditions apply) for borrowers. No application or banking fees. No monthly account keeping or early exit fees. Apply online in minutes.

  • Fixed Rate Loan

    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    • LVR <80%
    Interest rate
    6.09 % p.a.
    Fixed 3 years
    Comparison rate
    6.15 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,027

    Additional repayments of up to $10K per fixed year. Interest rate discounts available. Waiver of $499 application fee when combined with an Orange Advantage Home Loan.

  • Low Rate Home Loan

    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    • LVR<80%
    Interest rate
    6.14 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.14 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,043
    Go to site

    Enjoy a variable rate home loan with a bunch of features from Police Credit Union. Make extra repayments at any time without penalty. No monthly, annual or upfront fees. Free online redraw. Minimum 20% deposit. Qualifying criteria applies. Minimum loan amount is 200K. For new customers only. Mozo Experts Choice Home Lender Credit Union of the Year 2023.

  • Basic Home Loan

    • Owner Occupier
    • LVR<60%
    • Principal & Interest
    Interest rate
    6.14 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.16 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,043
    Go to site

    Enjoy a low rate home loan with $0 application fee and $0 ongoing fees. Flexibility to split your loan and set different repayment types. Fee free redraw from your loan using online banking. Flexible ways to repay. 40% Deposit required.

  • Mortgage Simplifier

    • LVR<80%
    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    Interest rate
    6.14 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.17 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,043

    Get a competitive variable rate with ING’s Mortgage Simplifier. Free extra repayments, no monthly or annual fees. Freedom to make free extra repayments or redraws.

  • Offset Home Loan

    • Owner Occupier
    • LVR<60%
    • Principal & Interest
    Interest rate
    6.14 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.39 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,043
    Go to site

    Ability to open up to 10 offset accounts per loan account. Fast online application. Linked Debit Mastercard® with fee-free access at ATMs across Australia. Package a credit card with your home loan and the annual card fee will be waived (T&Cs apply). 40% deposit required.

  • Discount Great Rate Home Loan

    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    • LVR<80%
    • over $150k
    Interest rate
    6.19 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.21 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,059
    Go to site

    An easy to use Home Loan with no establishment fee and no monthly or annual fees. Minimum deposit of 20% is required. Mozo Experts Choice Awards - Investor Home Loan Award 2024^.

  • Special Real Deal Home Loan

    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    • LVR <80%
    Interest rate
    6.19 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.23 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,059
    Go to site

    No application or service fees. Flexibility to choose your repayment schedule (weekly, fortnightly or monthly). Use multiple Everyday Accounts with 100% interest offset to pay your home loan off sooner.

  • Basic Home Loan

    • Fixed
    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    • LVR<70%
    Interest rate
    6.25 % p.a.
    Fixed 3 years
    Comparison rate
    6.20 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,079
    Go to site

    No upfront or ongoing fees. Free extra repayments and redraw facility. Option to earn Qantas points. Min 30% deposit required. Borrow up to $750,000.

  • Offset Home Loan

    • Fixed
    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    • LVR <70%
    Interest rate
    6.25 % p.a.
    Fixed 3 years
    Comparison rate
    6.42 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,079
    Go to site

  • Fixed Rate

    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    • <80% LVR
    Interest rate
    6.59 % p.a.
    Fixed 3 years
    Comparison rate
    7.06 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,190

    Enjoy up to $3000 cashback for eligible first home buyers and $2000 cashback for refinancers on eligible home loans with the ANZ Fixed Rate Home Loan. Get the security of repayment certainty with a competitive locked in rate. No ongoing fees to pay. Offset account on 1-year fixed loans ($10/month fee applies). Interest-only payments allowed.

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Need help with refinancing?

You might have questions that need personal answers. We’ve teamed up with the mortgage brokers at Lendi to get you the answers you need, and a home loan deal you deserve.

Learn more

* WARNING: This comparison rate applies only to the example or examples given. Different amounts and terms will result in different comparison rates. Costs such as redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, are not included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan. The comparison rate displayed is for a secured loan with monthly principal and interest repayments for $150,000 over 25 years.

** Initial monthly repayment figures are estimates only, based on the advertised rate. You can change the loan amount and term in the input boxes at the top of this table. Rates, fees and charges and therefore the total cost of the loan may vary depending on your loan amount, loan term, and credit history. Actual repayments will depend on your individual circumstances and interest rate changes.

Mozo provides general product information. We don't consider your personal objectives, financial situation or needs and we aren't recommending any specific product to you. You should make your own decision after reading the PDS or offer documentation, or seeking independent advice.

While we pride ourselves on covering a wide range of products, we don't cover every product in the market. If you decide to apply for a product through our website, you will be dealing directly with the provider of that product and not with Mozo.